notices
6 June 2007
The Department of Labour has served prohibition notices against two Pretoria
based construction companies due to failure to abide by proper health and
safety standards.
The move followed an early morning inspection led by the Director-General Dr
Vanguard Mkosana today, Wednesday. He told journalists that the construction
industry has been targeted by the department to reduce the high level of
accidents and fatalities associated with the booming sector.
"We have identified the construction industry as one of the high-risk areas
that need our immediate attention. Others are food and beverage, iron and steel
as well as agriculture. I also want to correct the impression that we are
conducting these inspections to police companies. In fact, we do these to help
companies comply with the occupational health and safety regulations in the
interests of the whole country," he said.
Mkosana said prohibition notices "are normally issued when there is an
immediate danger to the lives of workers and anyone on the premises. It forces
employers to stop operations in the specific area and fix the problem."
During his earlier visit to Lona Building projects the Director-General
expressed grave concern at the high level of non-compliance with health and
safety standards. The company was ordered to ensure that the scaffolding was
properly fixed so as not to expose workers to danger, immediately insulate
electricity wires and ensure that there was uniformity in terms of
lighting.
Mkosana said considering that the company had failed to comply with
instruction by the department to fix the same problems during the first visit,
he had no option but to recommend prosecution.
However, the director-general said: "While I have issued a prohibition
notice against WBHO and Rainbow Construction, I must say it is worlds apart
from the one we visited earlier this morning."
He advised the latter to ensure that scaffolding is improved as is the need
to ensure that no live electricity wires got into contact with water, thereby
posing a danger to workers.
"On the whole, I am impressed with the level of health and safety at WBHO
and Rainbow Construction. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is taken
seriously at top management policy level and you see it at the factory floor
level. This is good," he said.
Mkosana urged companies to make use of the construction sector education and
training authority in order to access the expertise that was available. He said
inspections will become a regular feature as the department intensifies the
drive for health and safety in the workplace.
Enquiries:
Zolisa Sigabi
Cell: 082 906 3878
Issued by: Department of Labour
6 June 2007
